There are, finally, lots of answers coming forth (although more questions are also created) and it was satisfying to see answers to ideas hinted at over the course of many books, and even the multiple series’ that take place in this world, actually be made clear. It’s also fantastic seeing how far back some of these ideas have been hinted at throughout the series and have it come together so well.
The book did feel dragged out at times and a bit repetitive but I also love JLA’s writing and can’t get enough of these characters and this world so I can’t really say it puts me off of the book. At this point, I feel like this dragged out style of writing is pretty common to both Poppy’s series and Sera’s alike, so it feels like it’s just the way these books are intended to be almost. It both feels like so much is happening, and yet somehow nothing at all at times.
I enjoy that Casteel’s point of view has been added to more recent installments in this series (I still don’t think a whole book from his point of view of story that had already occurred was necessary) but having it be his own viewpoint of new story that hasn’t just been all told from Poppy’s perspective is everything I could have wanted from the start of the series. Although at times I do feel like it’s just there to be horny and constantly reminisce about sexy times with Poppy which gets a bit tedious. I’m all for smut, but not when it becomes the entire plot point and the character becomes a one-track mind.
I absolutely adore getting to see characters from the Flesh and Fire series as well. They aren’t major parts of the book as they shouldn’t be when they have their own whole series, but it’s still so great to get moments with them and see the two series come together in small ways regardless. There are so many characters I’ve come to love so much from both series and having them come together centuries later is so satisfying. Especially so having been reading through both sets of books leading up to this one and having everything so fresh in my mind and the love I have for these characters newly reinvigorated. Seeing how the ancestry plays out from one set of books to the next is also very fulfilling, especially with all the hints leading up to certain reveals.
There were a few things about this book that made less sense to me/seemed thrown in for no real reason and took away from the experience for me. For example, Poppy suddenly has this overpowered ability to know pretty much everything just by thinking about it which seemed so unnecessary and just adding to this narrative that she has way too much power and is at this point ridiculously overly enhanced. There comes a point where a character is given too much power and suddenly have zero weaknesses and there’s no way they’ll ever lose and it kind of feels like Poppy is there.
Another thing is the weird dynamic that suddenly seems to have sprung up between Poppy and Kieren. In my opinion from previous books, even with the Joining, their bond has always been platonically close with maybe a bit of sexual intrigue. The Joining happened and then they went back to their pure friendship which felt right for the story because it’s always been hardcore Cas and Poppy as a couple so throwing in a second love interest has never made sense in my opinion. Now in this book, suddenly Keiren is walking in on Poppy naked in the bath and slightly exposed, and not for the first time? So not only is it trying hard to make it seem like there is sexual tension between them, but it’s also kind of repetitive because this is apparently Keiren’s one move with Poppy. Realistically, with how possessive of Poppy Cas is, a third male being thrown into their relationship just makes absolutely no sense and this dynamic is ruining their love story a little, not to mention the pure friendship between Poppy and Keiren. I loathe when two characters who have the sweetest, most platonic friendship suddenly get romance thrown into the mix just because they happen to be a male and female. Just let male/female friendships exist because they are the purest friendships when left platonic. To be clear, I have no problem with people who do ship this pairing, it’s just not personally for me because I felt like it was much more special when it was about a close bond of friendship/family. It also in no way reflects on my rating or opinion of the books themselves. It’s JLA’s series, she can do whatever the heck she wants.
I also think the tension between Cas and Kieren was a bit too much. For two people that have such a strong bond, to have something as silly as a promise made to Poppy come between them, and for as long as it does, it became a bit tedious. Sure, fine, Cas can be mad about it because of what the promise entailed, but for it to drag on for an entire book, again, in light of the incredibly close friendship they have had their entire long lives, was overkill.
I’m also extremely confused as to where this whole Shea plot point has disappeared to. Perhaps the only significant plot from the previous book in this series is that Cas has some big secret about Shea he has to tell Poppy once she wakes up and it’s just gone from this book entirely. I don’t understand how it went from such a big deal that it was all Cas could think about while she was in statis, just for him to never tell her.
Am I looking forward to the next book in the series? Absolutely. I’m not going to stop now when I’m this far into it and answers and conclusions are forthcoming. Do I feel like it has lost the plot a little bit? Well… maybe. I definitely feel like at times I have no idea how it’s gotten to certain points from where it started. But sometimes I feel that way about life to, so thems the breaks I suppose.
